


we crave a different kind of buzz

by cryptidsoap



Category: SEVENTEEN (Band)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Royalty, Confession, Fake Marriage, Fake/Pretend Relationship, Feelings Realization, First Kiss, Fluff, Friends to Lovers, Happy Ending, Light Angst, M/M, Modern Royalty, hehe its that trope, just boys being dumb, prince!Mingyu, the author loves jihyo so they gave her a happy ending, there's one alcohol scene but no one gets drunk, theres basically no angst, twice's jihyo is mentioned a lot but she doesnt exactly appear
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-12-20
Updated: 2018-12-20
Packaged: 2019-09-23 17:05:32
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 5,703
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17084285
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/cryptidsoap/pseuds/cryptidsoap
Summary: to escape an arranged marriage, the crowned prince kim mingyu decides to announce he's engaged to his best friend, xu minghao.





	we crave a different kind of buzz

**Author's Note:**

  * For [mysterywoozi (writers_haven)](https://archiveofourown.org/users/writers_haven/gifts).



> heyy this was written foe the svt secret santa of this year whoop whoop
> 
> dear person who's receiving the fic, i deeply hope you like it, i put lots of love into it!! happy holidays <3
> 
> to anyone else reading it, i hope you enjoy it too!! (and happy holidays too!!)
> 
> thank you sss2018 mods for making this possible you guys rock!!!!!
> 
> enjoy~

Being a prince, Mingyu thought, was quite boring.

 

He had classes to attend, royal duties to do, unnecessary meetings with other important people that were too time consuming for the little amount of things that actually got discussed and decided. Since he was a child, Mingyu learnt to keep quiet at the right times, to bow his head politely even if the situation was infuriatingly unfair — like that time his parents couldn’t take him to visit his grandparents outside of the kingdom because of an important diplomacy meeting, whatever that meant. 

 

Mingyu also learned from an early age how to be alone. He was an only child, so he never had any siblings to play with, or to be annoyed by, or anything of the sorts. So, as he grew up, Mingyu was accustomed with his own company. It wasn’t necessarily bad, but it did get a little melancholic at times. If you’re mostly by yourself your whole life, it doesn’t matter if you’re a prince or not — you’re bound to feel lonely.

 

The arrival of Xu Minghao marks the end of that streak of loneliness.

 

Minghao is the son of a duke who was visiting the kingdom at the time for financial purposes. He and Mingyu were the same age, born in the same year, only a few months apart. That, according to their parents, should be enough reason for them to get along and be friends, talk or play a little while the adults discussed business, administration, politics and other adult matters that the two 12-year-olds had no interest on.

 

They’re a little shy at first, hands clutching the hem of their shirts awkwardly and shifting their weight from foot to foot. Mingyu is the first to extend a hand and introduce himself properly.

 

“Hey, I’m Mingyu.”

 

“I’m Minghao. Nice to meet you.”

 

After that, like the saying goes, it’s history. They become best friends in record time, and having each other around is helpful in many ways.

 

For example, as said before, with Minghao there’s no more loneliness. Even when the younger is on his quiet days — days when he doesn’t mind Mingyu’s company, but feels a little tired to interact with him fully —, he’s a breath of fresh air between prince duties and overthinking, melancholic moments. As for Minghao, his friend feels like a spark. There’s not a lot to do when you’re the heir to a duke; he doesn’t need to work, unless he wants to, and he’s homeschooled, so Minghao gets bored easily. Sure, he sometimes finds a new hobby here and there, but, aside from art (something he really found happiness in doing), none of them really stuck. 

 

Mingyu changes that. You can never get bored when you’re friends with Kim Mingyu. There’s always a new topic to talk about, a new story to listen to, a new song to check out or (for the King and Queen’s demises) a new member of the staff to pester and annoy.

 

One day, when they were fifteen, Mingyu convinced Minghao to join him in a kitchen adventure. The younger had been hesitant at first, but gave in to the prince’s pleading puppy eyes. 

 

At precisely 2:03 AM, both boys sneaked into the kitchen, the employees long gone to their rooms. Mingyu led the way, Minghao following suit, until they stopped in front of one of the fridges. 

 

“I think they're in here.” the taller whispered.

 

“What, exactly?”

 

“The cupcakes.”

 

“Oh, are we stealing cupcakes?” Minghao marveled. “How many?”

 

“The whole tray.”

 

“That's- That’s a lot, Gyu. They’ll notice. Let’s settle for one each, okay?”

 

The prince huffed, but agreed. He opened the fridge, and the duo was promptly greeted by the sight of the sugary treats. The cupcakes looked delicious, the size of a fist and decorated with pink frosting, topped with a small chocolate heart. Both boys grabbed one, making sure to rearrange them on the plate so it wouldn’t look like there were two cupcakes missing.

 

They only took the first bite after leaving the kitchen and establishing a safe distance. The cupcakes tasted as good as they looked, soft to the bite and sweet chocolate taste spreading through their mouths. Minutes later, both boys slumped against the wall and slid to the floor, sitting side by side.

 

“We stole two cupcakes.” Mingyu laughed softly.

 

“We did.”

 

“We’re criminals, Hao.”

 

“You’re the prince, you can get away with it.” Minghao chuckled. “If these were the old times, they would get me beheaded.”

 

“Don’t joke about that.” Mingyu elbowed him. “Besides, I wouldn’t let anyone do that to you.”

 

That elicited a soft smile from the younger, who then pointed at the prince’s chin.

 

“You’ve got frosting on your chin.” he reached his hand to wipe it off, cleaning his now frosting-covered thumb on his sweatpants. “Dumbass.”

 

Ignoring the sudden erratic beating of his heart, Mingyu pouted. “Don’t call me dumbass. I’m your prince, show some respect.” he ordered, jokingly.

 

“As if I care about that.” Minghao snickered, then added. “As if  _ you _ care about that.”

 

“You’re right, I don’t care.” the prince laid his head on his best friend’s shoulder. “Hey. I meant it when I said I wouldn’t let anything bad happen to you, you know that, right?”

 

“I know, Gyu. Actually, a lot of bad things that could happen are out of your control, like a lightning striking me and serving a dish of Roasted Minghao, but yeah, I know you’ll look out for me. I’ll do the same for you.”

 

“Quit being a smartass all the time, I know I can’t control whether a lightning strikes you or not. But I’ll do anything that’s within my reach. Alright?”

 

“You’re being really eloquent. Who are you, and what did you do to prince Mingyu?” Minghao asked, turning to the prince with a lopsided grin.

 

“I open my heart to you and that’s what I get. I see how it is.” Mingyu crossed his arms and looked away, frowning.

 

“Hey.” the younger put a hand on his shoulder. “I was just joking. I know you’re being serious. And so am I, about protecting you in return.”

 

“Together forever?” Mingyu looked at Minghao. He received as an answer a smile so sweet it made a swarm of butterflies make a fuss in his belly. What an odd place for butterflies to be.

 

“Yup. Forever and ever.”

 

That night, Mingyu laid awake, Minghao’s warm smile and tender touches haunting him. Something was telling him that you don’t usually feel this way towards your purely platonic best friend. Maybe it was the blush he felt creeping up his cheeks. Maybe it were the butterflies. Mingyu kept thinking about that for a while.

 

And that’s how Kim Mingyu, the crowned prince, first slipped into the bottomless pit that is falling in love with Xu Minghao, his best friend. 

  
  
  
  


“Rise and shine, sunshine!” a chirpy female voice echoes through the prince's bedroom as the curtains are pulled open to let in the sunlight.

 

Said prince groans, trying to block the light from hitting his eyes. “Mom. It's a Saturday, let me sleep.”

 

“You need to wake up, Mingyu. Jihyo’s here.”

 

“Oh my God, did her parents made her come here this early in the morning? Give her a room to sleep in, she probably doesn't want to see me either.”

 

“It's past noon, honey. You're the only one who's still asleep.”

 

Mingyu groans again, this time sitting up and rubbing the sleep from his eyes.

 

“Darling, you need to stop sleeping naked.” his mom says. “What if someone walks in?”

 

“I'm not  _ naked _ , I'm wearing pants. And no one cares if I sleep shirtless, mom. Besides, I'm an adult, people should respect my privacy and not, you know, barge into my room unannounced.”

 

“You're barely 20, Mingyu. Now, get up and get dressed,  _ properly _ , we're waiting for you downstairs.” she walks away, but Mingyu's voice stops her by the doorframe.

 

“You know I don't want to marry her, right?” 

 

She just turns and gives him a sad smile.

  
  
  
  


Hours later, after Jihyo leaves, Mingyu calls his parents to the main lounge with a “we need to talk”. The King and Queen sit on the large beanbags, while the prince plops down on the carpeted floor, much to his parents distaste.

 

“Mom. Dad. This whole thing with Jihyo needs to stop.” Mingyu states.

 

“What's wrong?” his dad asks. 

 

“With her? Nothing. She's nice, smart, and I enjoy being her friend, actually. We always have a good time when she comes over, that's not the problem. The thing is, we all know her parents want to marry her off to get rid of her.”

 

“It's not nice to assume things like that, honey.” the Queen reprimands.

 

“Jihyo told me that herself. She doesn't feel comfortable in this whole scheme either. Her parents want her to get married to a wealthy or powerful person as fast as possible, and I can assure you she doesn't want that for her life.”

 

“Still, it's not reasonable to-”

 

“Mom. Do you know what Jihyo wants to do? She wants to be an archeologist. Travel the world and learn about people and their cultures, maybe settle down with someone when she's ready. And do you know what I want? I want to be an artist, and marry the person I want to when I want to. Don't take that away from us in exchange for a good relationship with her parents. They're not that great, anyways.”

 

“Mingyu! That's not how you talk about people.” 

 

“It's the truth.” the prince shrugs.

 

The Queen sighs. “We can't just reject her family. They didn't make the official marriage proposition yet, but they will. I was hoping you'd be a reasonable, mature boy and understand what this is about-”

 

“This is about power, wealth and young hearts being gambled like they're worth nothing. I want no part in it.”

 

That silences the two adults. The Queen makes a motion of talking again, but her husband puts his hand over hers to stop her. “What's your solution for this, then, son?”

 

“I was thinking, and maybe we could announce I'm already engaged to someone else. It would be fake, obviously, since I'm not looking for marriage, but it would keep them off our hair and give Jihyo a break.”

 

“A fake engagement.” the Queen repeats, with disdain.

 

“Mom, it's either that or I'll run away for real. And I cherish both of you and the people in the palace enough for that not to be my first option.”

 

“All of that because of a marriage-”

 

“It's not only a marriage. It's useless rules bounding me to something I don't want to be bound to. It's the 21st century, arranged marriages shouldn't be okay. This would take away my freedom, Jihyo's freedom and our right of choice as individuals. I'd feel like a pon in a game of chess, which honestly I don't think I am, or was ever born to be. So, please, if you two think that's all I am, just say it.”

 

“Of course not.” his mom says. “No, never.”

 

“So you two agree with my idea?”

 

“It's complicated, honey.” she frowns.

 

“Who did you have in mind to be your fake fiancé?” the King asks.

 

“Not sure yet. I was thinking of Minghao.”

 

“Your friend?”

 

“ _ Best  _ friend. Yeah, him. Because we'll have to stay absent for a while for it to be convincing, you know, so it'd have to be someone I enjoy having near me.” Mingyu explains.ns. “We can tell the press we’re having one of those intimate weddings, the ones with no guests, they’re becoming popular nowadays, and just vanish for a while, tell everyone we went for honeymoon right away.”

 

“That’s quite clever, actually.” his dad ponders. “Is Minghao ok with that?”

 

“Yup. I talked to him.”

 

“Then fine.”

 

Mingyu beams, then turns to him mom. “Mom. Is it fine with you?”

 

The Queen sighs. “Yes, Mingyu. It’s okay.”

 

The prince kisses both of his parents’ foreheads and dashes out of the lounge.

  
  
  
  


The press and the people take the news with wild, mixed reactions. Some express their aversion for the prince marrying a man, others are sad because he's not an electible bachelor anymore, but the majority just sends their congratulations to the couple and carries on with their lives.

 

Mingyu chooses a house by the mountains for his “honeymoon” — he’s been there before, so he knows it’s a nice place, and it’s more secluded than a house by the beach, so they can have their privacy.

 

On the day before the trip, the Queen calls him to have a little talk.

 

“Honey, be honest with me.” she starts. “Was this whole thing just a plan for you to be with Minghao?”

 

Mingyu chokes on air. “What?”

 

“I know you like him.”

 

“One: how did you know that? And two: no, it isn’t a plan, I was being serious the whole time. Honestly, that question just shows how you’re incapable of seeing me as an adult who can have their own ideals and not just a teenager in love.” he bites back.

 

“I’m your mother, I know those kinds of things.” she sighs. “And I’m sorry. I understand your point, and I’ve been failing to keep up with your growth as a person.” then, a smile as she puts her hand on her son’s cheek. “I’ll try to be a better mom, okay?”

 

The prince pats her hand and smiles back. “Okay. I love you, mom.”

 

“Love you too, honey. Now, go to sleep, you have a few miles ahead of you tomorrow.” she pinches her cheek. “My little boy is getting married.”

 

“Fake-married. And I’m twenty.”

 

“Yeah, yeah, I’ll wake you up tomorrow. Good night, Mingyu.”

 

“Night, mom.”

  
  
  
  
  
  


Mingyu and Minghao arrive at the house by lunchtime, stomachs rumbling. There’s food previously stocked in the kitchen, so they don’t need to worry about buying anything yet. Before worrying about lunch, they go to their bedrooms to put down their things.

 

“Aww, no sharing a bed, husband?” Minghao asks, playfully, hip-checking Mingyu.

 

The prince pretends his heart doesn’t speed up at the thought and forces a laugh. “Unless you want to use me as your personal teddy bear that badly, then no, no sharing a bed.”

 

The younger sticks out his tongue and heads to his bedroom, plopping down on the comfortable king-sized bed. He bounces a little on the mattress, giggling.

 

“Wow, this bed is so nice.” he rolls on the bed and throws his head back, facing upside-down the doorframe where Mingyu stands. “Is this your parents’?”

 

“Yeah…”

 

“It seemed expensive. But I’m glad you picked it, I’m going to sleep like a baby the next days.”

 

“I was hoping you’d like it.” Mingyu smiles softly.

 

Minghao smiles back, and hops out of the bed. “I like it a lot. Now, can we grab something to eat? I’m starving.” he tiredly rests his weight on the doorframe, facing the prince, who feels butterflies at the simple sight of his best friend.

 

“Yeah, let’s go.”

  
  
  


“Now, aren't you glad I picked up on cooking after that night with the cupcakes?” Mingyu asks, as he grills pieces of meat on a pan.

 

Minghao is sitting on the countertop, peeling carrots and potatoes. He smiles at his best friend. “I always make sure to express my gratitude for that fact.”

 

“Specially when I make cookies for you.”

 

“Shut up, that makes me sound like an opportunist.”

 

“Sorry, Hao.” the prince pokes his friend's cheek. 

  
  


When lunch is ready, they both sit at the dinner table in the living room. It's too big of a table for just the two of them, so they sit facing each other in one corner. 

 

“This tastes amazing.” Minghao says between bites. “You're the best.”

 

“Just because I can cook lunch? Your standards are getting lower.” Mingyu chuckles.

 

“Excuse me? You're the perfect husband material.” he makes a dramatic pause with a hand over his heart. “Where have you been all my life? I'm so lucky to have married you.”

 

“You're ridiculous. I've always been here, idiot.” the prince sticks his tongue out.

 

“Gyu.”

 

“Hm.”

 

“I'm proud of you.”

 

“For what?”

 

“For doing all that. It takes some guts to stand up to your parents, reject their marriage scheme for you, fake-marry your best friend and run away for a few days without caring about the press and population. You were so brave.”

 

Mingyu ducks his head at the praise, feeling his cheeks heat up. “It was nothing.”

 

“It was very much something. You risked a lot of things for your own freedom, and that's admirable. I'm so, so proud.” Minghao reaches for the prince's hand and squeezes it.

 

Mingyu spends the rest of the day thinking about Minghao's words and how soft his hand felt holding the prince's own.

  
  
  
  
  


Mingyu wakes up in a cold sweat that night. His mind plays flashes of his nightmare over and over, and his hands cling to the soft bed sheets in an attempt to ground him. His breath comes out irregularly as he blinks, trying to forget what has just happened in his dreams.

 

He’s in the house he’s spending a few days in, he’s in his bedroom, everyone is safe, Minghao is in the room right next to his-

 

Minghao.

 

More flashes of his nightmare come back to him, this time the ones involving Minghao. He was hurt, no, he's safe, this is reality, dammit — Mingyu has a brief fight with his own brain before deciding to check up on Minghao, just to be sure.

 

The prince knocks on the neighbouring door, shifting his weight from foot to foot. He knows it’s unlocked, but he doesn’t want to barge in and scare his best friend. So he knocks again. It takes another knock for the sound of footsteps to be heard from inside, and the door opens, a sleepy Minghao yawning and motioning for Mingyu to come in.

 

“What happened?”

 

“Nightmare.” the prince says, in a small voice.

 

Minghao lays back down on the bed and pats the space by his side, telling Mingyu it’s okay to lie down. “Was it the one in which everyone dies?”

 

“Yeah…” Mingyu curls in on himself on the mattress, still shaken from the nightmare. He feels safer, however, when Minghao wraps his thin arms around him, warm and secure. “I came here to check on you, because you were hurt, and-“

 

“I’m fine, Gyu. I’m fine. I’m not hurt, no one is.” Minghao’s fingers find their place in the prince’s hair, carding through the soft brown locks. “Do you want to stay here for the night?”

 

“I don’t want to bother you.”

 

“You’re my best friend. We stole cupcakes together. You’re not bothering me.” as if to assure Mingyu of that, he adjusts his hold around the prince, pressing a light kiss to his shoulder before maneuvering him to lay on his chest. Mingyu is still too shaken up to feel giddy about that, but he snuggles closer to Minghao, relishing in the warmth.

 

“Thank you, Hao.” he mumbles, sleepily.

 

“Don’t mention it. I’m not going anywhere, okay? We’re both safe.”

 

Mingyu agrees by nodding, which makes his cheek squish against Minghao’s pajama shirt. The younger boy giggles at that, pressing another light kiss, this time to the prince’s temple.

 

“Good night, Gyu. Sleep well.”

 

Mingyu doesn’t think too much of the kisses, but in his almost-asleep state, and feeling so warm next to Minghao, he allows himself to cherish this tiny moment of bliss after a bad dream.

  
  
  
  
  


After that, they end up sharing the same bed for the rest of their stay. They’re not as cuddly as the first time, because there are no nightmare situations anymore, but still sleep close enough to feel each other’s warmth. It feels nice, to think there’s someone right by your side in case something bad happens during the night. It’s comforting, and they’re both glad they can have that, they can rely on each other.

 

One night, a week after they arrive, Minghao finds the wine.

 

He’s always been an enthusiast of beverages of many kinds, but never a big fan of the alcoholic ones, save from two: wine and coffee liquor. As a person who drinks for the taste, and not for the alcohol effects, he never gets past the tipsy/sleepy state, and he always has to stop Mingyu from going overboard when they drink together.

 

That night, they open the bottle of red wine and Minghao jokingly makes a toast for their marriage. He doesn’t notice Mingyu’s ears reddening even before he takes a sip of the drink.

 

“Should we do that thing couples do when they drink champagne at their wedding? You know, entwining our arms and stuff?” 

 

The prince almost spits out the wine. “What? Why?”

 

“It’s fun! I’ve always wanted to try it. And we’re technically married, so…”

 

Mingyu wonders if he will ever be able to say no to Minghao’s sparkling eyes and sweet smile. Probably never. So he swallows his embarrassment and entwines his arm with his best friend’s to drink from his glass. He hears the shutter of a camera, and turns to see Minghao’s other arm is extended, phone in hand, taking pictures of them.

 

“My 8bar tag needs updating.” he explains. “Plus, it’ll help selling our fake marriage.”

 

“Oh. True.”

 

Later, they finish their glasses, and Minghao stops Mingyu from pouring more to him.

 

“This one’s quite strong, and you can’t hold your alcohol, so it’s better if we stay at the one glass mark.”

 

The prince huffs and pouts. “Fine.”

 

“See, it’s affecting you already. You look like a kid who got kept from going to the candy store.” the boy laughs, bumping his shoulder with his best friend’s. “I’m doing it because I care about your wellbeing, silly.”

 

“I know.” Mingyu smiles, big and bright. 

 

Oh, Minghao is so in love. He’s so in love it hurts.

 

Wait. That’s a new thought.

 

Minghao has to physically shake his head to clear his mind. He’s not drunk to be incoherent, so this must’ve come from somewhere else. He looks at Mingyu, whose ears are already red — he really has a very low tolerance —, his skin glowing under the lights, looking soft to the touch, his equally soft brown hair, oh look, one strand is falling out of place. Minghao reaches to smooth it down, and Mingyu startles a little, shoulders raising in a quick reaction. So cute.

 

The prince blushes, and Minghao’s heart stutters. Has it always been like that? He can’t recall. Mingyu has always been good-looking, and that’s a fact, but it’s not his looks that are making Minghao have the most confusing inner monologue ever; it’s him as a whole, his silly laugh, his puppy eyes, that dumb grin that shows off his crooked teeth and makes the younger want to be the reason of all of his smiles. And that last part Minghao knows it’s been a constant feeling — making Mingyu laugh has always been his favorite thing to do.

 

Is this what it feels like to be in love?

 

Mingyu crawls over to where he is and brings him out of his musings. “Hao? Is there anything wrong?”

 

“No, it’s just…”

 

“What?”

 

“I think I’m in love with you.”

 

The prince backs out. “You’re drunk.”

 

“Not al all.”

 

“You’re saying meaningless things-“

 

“But I mean it.”

 

“You don’t.”

 

“Why not?”

 

“Because  _ I’m  _ in love with you.” Mingyu blurts out. “Not the other way around. It’s too good to be true”

 

Minghao frowns. “Now you’re saying meaningless things. Don’t make fun of me when I’m still digesting my feelings.”

 

“I’m not! You’re the one who’s drunk and throwing empty confessions-“

 

“They’re not empty! And it takes more than a glass to get me drunk!”

 

“Whatever, you’re not being serious-“

 

“I am! Why do you think I’m not being serious?”

 

“Because! It can’t be happening!”

 

Minghao grabs Mingyu’s chin and presses a tender kiss to the corner of his mouth, barely reaching the lips.

 

“There. This is real. I mean it.”

 

“This- This is not- You don’t mean it.”  _ He can’t mean it _ , Mingyu’s mind repeats over and over.  _ That was such a cute kiss, oh my God, I want to explode, but he doesn’t mean it. It’s too good to be true.  _ “I- I’m going to sleep. We can talk about it tomorrow.”

 

The prince leaves the room, and Minghao sits on the floor, thinking about what he may have done wrong. 

  
  
  
  


Tomorrow comes, and none of them talk about it. 

 

Not even on the next day, and the next, and the next. Two weeks pass, and no one touches the subject, opting to just carry on like that night never happened. And they carry on just fine — there’s less skinship, maybe because of the wariness from both sides, but they’re still sweet with each other, and the best friends they never ceased to be.

 

It’s a Monday morning when Mingyu remembers there’s a lake not too far from the house, and that they should go there.

 

“I didn’t bring swimming trunks.” Minghao argues.

 

“Neither did I, to be honest.”

 

“So what were you planning to wear? Nothing?”

 

“No!!! I don’t know, shorts? I have two basketball shorts with me, you can borrow one.”

 

Minghao sighs. “Fine. But if the water’s too cold, I’m not getting in.”

 

“Wimp.” Mingyu sticks out his tongue.

 

“Yeah, such a wimp for not wanting to catch a cold.”

 

“Shut up.”

 

“Make me.”

 

And Mingyu almosts does something reckless, like pulling Minghao by the waist and shutting him up with a kiss, like he has been wanting to do since that night, but he doesn’t. He can’t. Not when he’s not sure if the younger really meant what he said.

 

After awkward moments of silence, the tension is so thick it could be cut with a knife. Mingyu clears his throat and points to his bedroom with his thumb. 

 

“I’m gonna… Grab the shorts for you. We can live right after we pack everything, it’s only a 10 minute walk.”

 

“I’ll get the sunblock and snacks. Do we need sunblock?”

 

“Eh, we should be prepared for everything.”

 

Minghao nods and goes to his room, as Mingyu does the same. They pack everything in a matter of minutes, extra clothes, towels, sunblock, snacks and such all tucked snugly into a blue handbag.

 

When they walk to the lake, Mingyu tells stories about how he used to come here with his parents, and how much he loved to swim in the lake.

 

“There’s a little waterfall in it as well, did you know that? It’s really pretty, you’ll like it, I promise!”

 

Minghao just smiles, refraining from holding his hand as they walk. It’s difficult — their hands have brushed together a few times already, and he wishes he could just entwine their fingers and swing their arms back and forth and bring Mingyu’s hand to his lips to kiss his knuckles. But he can’t. So he puts his hands on his pockets and swallows his own feelings.

 

When they arrive, Mingyu’s words are proved to be true — it’s a pretty sight, and it’s like a secret, hidden place, since there’s no one else but them there. The water is clear, there are trees surrounding them, and water cascading down a small pile of rocks by their right.

 

“We’re off season.” Mingyu says. “That’s why it’s empty. This lake can get pretty crowded when there are families traveling around here.”

 

“I like it this way.” Minghao looks around, taking in the details. “Makes me feel special. Like a secret garden, but it’s a lake.”

 

The prince laughs and sets down the handbag, taking out his sunglasses case. He takes said sunglasses off, then takes his shirt off, throwing everything on top of the bag, and jumps to the lake. It’s a very cute sigh when he comes up to the surface — water splashing, hair plastered to his forehead, and Minghao’s personal favorite: a big, bright smile adorning his face.

 

“The water’s great! Come in!”

 

Minghao sits on the edge and puts his legs in the water. Indeed, the temperature is nice, so he takes off his shirt as well and gets in. Mingyu starts splashing him with water, like the silly kid he is, and the younger retaliates by tickling his sides, making him stumble. The lake is not deep, the water only reaching their ribs (well, Minghao’s ribs. Mingyu is taller, so the water only goes up to his waist).

 

They keep playing around, racing each other to see who swims faster, and laughing a lot, the tension from two weeks ago forgotten. Until Minghao tickles Mingyu mercilessly, and it makes the prince laugh so loud and so genuine it has the younger’s heart clenching, and he can’t hold his feeling in anymore.

 

“Making you laugh has always been my favorite thing to do.” he says, lovingly looking at his best friend.

 

“What?”

 

“I love seeing you smile and laugh.” Minghao fiddles with his hands, nervous. “You look ethereal when you’re happy. It warms my heart to see it, and it warms it even more when I know I’m the reason behind it.”

 

“Hao, what do you mean?” Mingyu arches an eyebrow, backing away until his back is near the edge of the lake.

 

“I mean…” Minghao dives down, swimming underwater until he reaches the prince, and emerges in front of him. “I mean I’m in love with every single aspect of you.”

 

“Minghao, we’ve been over this-“

 

The younger’s hand grabs a hold of Mingyu’s. “There’s no wine involved so you can’t question my honesty this time. I’m 100% in love with you, and I’m sorry it took so long for me to realize that.”

 

Mingyu sighs. “Are you serious? Please, don’t hurt me more than that night did. Do you really mean it?”

 

Minghao does what he’s been wanting to do since their walk, and kisses the back of Mingyu’s hand. “From the bottom of my heart.”

 

He doesn’t expect the prince to cry, but that’s what happens — tears start streaming down Mingyu’s cheeks and he’s quick to brush them away with his thumb. He loops his arms around his best friend’s neck and buries his face in the juncture between neck and shoulder, pressing a butterfly kiss there. Mingyu’s hands come to rest on his waist and he giggles.

 

“Can I kiss you?” Minghao asks.

 

“You already did.” comes the witty reply.

 

The younger pulls away from the hug to lightly slap the other’s chest. “On the  _ mouth _ , idiot.”

 

Mingyu doesn’t say anything, only puckers his lips into a pout. Minghao rolls his eyes, but dives into the kiss with passion, hands resting on the expanse of the prince’s chest. They pull away giggling, and Minghao peppers Mingyu’s face with little kisses.

 

“I’m” a kiss on the cheek, “in”, a kiss on the nose, “love”, a kiss on the forehead, “with”, a kiss on the other cheek, “you.” finally, he claims his lips again, kissing and kissing like they’re the only people in the world.

 

Well, for the time being, in this empty lake, they can pretend they are.

 

“Kim Mingyu.” Minghao pulls away from the kiss, his lips red just like the prince’s. “Would you upgrade me from the position of fake husband and giving me the honor of being your boyfriend?”

 

Mingyu blinks, and breaks into a grin. Oh, how Minghao loves that grin. “Of course! Yes, yes, yes, yes, yes!!!” he pecks Minghao’s lips multiple times, which is a little weird since they’re both giggling, and hugs him by the waist, spinning them around. “I’ve been dreaming of that moment since I was, like, sixteen.”

 

“Ew, I was a snotty teenager back then.”

 

“Wouldn’t have you any other way.”

 

“Sap.”

 

“You like it.” still holding the younger’s waist, Mingyu pulled him for another passionate kiss, trying to express everything he had kept bottled up for years.

 

When they separated, a little breathless, Minghao laughed, eyes still closed. “Do that again, and maybe I’ll admit it.”

 

“No need to ask twice.”

  
  
  
  


They go back to the city two days later. When they stop to buy some snacks for the rest of the trip, Mingyu takes a selfie with Minghao, both smiling and making peace signs.

 

“What’s that for?” the younger asks.

 

“I’m sending it to Jihyo. She’s gonna be happy. You know, she’s been rooting for us for a while.”

 

“You told your maybe-future-wife at that time you liked someone else?”

 

“It’s not like she and I were ever romantically involved.” Mingyu shrugs. “She’s a great friend.”

 

Minghao smiles. “That’s nice. How is she doing?” 

 

“She’s great! She had a fight with her parents, then took her savings to go to Japan and study. She’s been there for one week and a half! And I think she has a crush on her classmate. She won’t stop texting me about how this girl has the prettiest eyes and all that.”

 

“Do you tell her I have pretty eyes?”

 

“And pretty hands, and a pretty voice, and the cutest noise, and the most gorgeous smile I’ve ever seen-“

 

“You’re such a sap!” Minghao rolls his eyes. “I love you.”

 

“I love you too.” then, Mingyu’s expression changes to shock. “Hao. Oh my God. How are we gonna tell my  _ parents  _ we’re dating? I mean, my mom knows I like you, but-“

 

“She knows?”

 

“Mom instincts. But yeah.”

 

“Well, let’s just tell them. We stole cupcakes from the palace’s main kitchen, Gyu.” Minghao smirks and kisses his boyfriend’s cheek. “We can do anything.”

 

Mingyu holds his hand and squeezes it. “Yeah, I guess we can.”

  
  
  


(When they arrive, the first thing they do is explain the fake marriage stunt and announce they’re now dating, not engaged, not married — only dating. There’s outrage from part of the citizens, but most of them just congratulates the couple and goes on with their lives.)

 

(Mingyu’s instagram feed breaks the record of “aesthetic boyfriend pictures” per week, all of them on a different place, and all of them with a “photo by Xu Minghao” on the caption.)

**Author's Note:**

> ayyy that was it!! pls let me know if you like it!! thanks for reading everyone, see you next fic <3
> 
> ps: special thanks to everyone from nose scrunch land on twitter since they had to endure me complaing about fic deadlines for a while. love y'all


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